Article of furniture



July 5, 1960 B. F. HAMILTON EI'AL 2,943,671

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed July 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS,BERTIS E HAMILTON DECEASED, BY WILLIAM S. HAMILTON,EXECUTOR,

EHRL EHn/vuLm/vamz @Mi hn/m I. ro/v, Mm.

July 5, 1960 BF. HAMILTON A 2,943,671

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed July 51, 1956 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45' 4 5 .V47 12 it 11 L;- 35 4;! 4a Z5 23 36 a g 70 12 a7 3.6 "w i 1 l v 5 4a 07INVENTORS, I 4! k BURTIS F. HAMILTON, DECEASED, 31 k BY WILLIAM S.HAMILTOMEKECUTOR Emu F1 HnMuToMand 2 'ifi unmfifinmnmu,

I 17, IQ/VEYS- United, States Patent f r 2,943,671 ARTICLE or FURNITUREI liertis F. Hamilton, deceased, late of Columbus, Ind., by

Williams. Hamilton, executor, Earl F. Hamilton and iWilliam S. Hamilton,Columbus, Ind., assignors to Hamilton Manufacturing Corporation,Columbus, lnd., .a corporatiomof Indiana chairs, s'ettees, sofas, andthe like, and is particularly concerned with an article having a framestructure which lends itself to construction from metal tubing. it is anobject of the invention to produce an article'of furniture having atubular-metal frame'which'can be sh pped in knockeddown condition in acompact package and easi- 1y erected. Another object of the, inventionistoproduce an article of knocked-down furniture which, when erected,will be sturdy and rigid. a 1 An article of furniture embodying theinvention-possessee a generally rectangular seat-frame formed of metaltubing and including end elements which, at the rear of the seat, arebent to extend upwardly for a short distance. A back-frame, alsodesirably formed of metal "tubing, has end-elements the lower ends ofwhich are while slats extending generally vertically across the backframe provide support for a back cushion.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe further description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an erected sofa frame;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan view illustrating one end of the seat frameand the associated side member;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

. Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating apreferred form of means for use in interconnecting the seat frame andside members;

Fig. 6 is a generally vertical section on the line 6 -6 of Fi 5; e Y Jiig. 7 is a detailed view, in partial section, illustrating theconnection between the seat and back frames;

Fig. 8 is a fragmental view illustrating further details ofconstruction; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

The sofa illustrated in the drawings comprises a seat frame designatedin its entirety by the reference numeral faces of the end stretches 12.Such end stretches 12 continue rearwardly beyond the rear member 13,where their endsare bent upwardly as indicated at 15 for a purposewhichwill become apparent hereinafter.

ice

The back frame, designated in its entirety by'the reference numeral 20,includes an upper member 21 of metal tubing bent into a general U-shapeto provide downwardly extending end stretches 22. At its lower end, eachof the end stretches 22 receives a pilot 23 which projects beyond suchend stretch for reception in the associated up-bent end 15 of the seatframe. The back "frame also includes alower member 25, conveniently ofmetal tube ing, the ends 26 of which are bent upwardly, collapsed,

and shaped in C IjQS S-SCQllOII tO conform to the tubing of which theelements 15 and 22 areformed. As will be clearv from Fig. 7, the up-bentends 26 of the lower mem ber 25 overlap the joint between theelements'la and'ZZ, and are bolted to the elements 22 by.bolts 27 andto-the elements 15 by bolts 28 to secure the s eat and back framestogether. i

The seat is supported from the floor by two side members each desirablyformed; as a length of metal tubing bent into a general invertedU-sha'pe to provide an upper stretch 30, a front leg 31 and a rear leg32.. Feet 33 may be mounted in any, convenient manner at the lower endsof'the front and rear legs. a The legs, whichlie outwardly beyond theend elements 12 of the seat frames, are conveniently releasably securedthereto through the medium of brackets 35 (Figs. 5 and 6). Each of thesebrackets is desirably formedas a drawn sheet-metal stamping shaped toprovideintermediately a saddle portion 36 adapted to fitagainst thesideof the associated leg and end portions 37, including flanges 38,which conform to the cross-sectional curvature of the tubing from whichthe front seat-member is formed. The brackets 35 are secured to the endelements 12 of the seat-frame at appropriate locations, as by welding orbrazing. At the location of each bracket, the associated leg 31 or 32 isprovided internally with a nut 40 adapted to receive a screw 41 passingthrough holes in the end element 12 and in the saddle 36. The latterhole is large enough'to receive any portion of the nutdtl locatedexteriorly of the leg, in order that the leg may seat'firmly againstthesaddle 36.

The upper stretch 30 of each side member supports an arm including aninverted sheet-metal pan 43 covered on its top and sides withappropriate upholstery material 44. The arm' is secured to theintermediate stretch 30] of the associated side member by screws 45which pass upwardly through the stretch 30 and into the sheet-metal pan43. To relieve the screws 45 of stresses incident to the application or"any force which would tend to rock the arm about the axis of thestretch'30, the latter is desirably given the sinusoidal formillustrated in Fig. 3, so that it'provides support for the pain 43 atpoints spaced transversely of the stretch 30. i

For the purpose of providing support for a seat cushion or cushions,slats 47 of resilient sheet-metal extend between the front and rearseat-frame members 11 and 13. To connect the slats to theseat-frame'member's, the latter are provided at intervals along'theirinner-faces with slots receiving the ends of the slats; and at theirends, the slats are bent downwardly to provide the cars 48 shown in Fig.4., 3 I

In assembling the seat, theears 48 are passed through the slots in'themembers 11 and 13.before the member 413 is secured to the end stretches'12 of the memberll;

and, after the slat-ends 48 are in place in thefront and rear members 11and 13, the end stretches 124m: then sprung'outwardl'y to permit theflattened ends 13' of the rear member to be inserted into the slots 'in'the inner faces of the end stretches 12 to secure the front and rearseat-frame members together. In this condition, the end stretches 12desirably bear resiliently against the shoulders formed on the rearmember 13 as an incident to formation of the tongues 13'.

To provide support for a back cushion or cushions 50 (Fig. 2) the backframe includes slats 51' the ends of which are received in slots -in theupper and lower backframe members 21 and 25. In order to provide greaterseating-depth, the ends 52 of each back-slat'51 maybe deslrably offsetforwardly with respect to the body of the slat, as shown in Fig. "9. Forthe purpose of opposing forward creeping of the seat cushion, thebodyportion of each of the slats 47 may be offset downwardly relative to theend portions thereof. Preferably (see Fig. 4), this offsetting isgreatest at the front end of each slat to provide, just rearwardly fromthe front seat member 11, a rearwardly presented shoulder '53.

Depending on the length of the article, it may 'be 'de sirable toprovide an additional connection'betweenthe seat frame and'back frameintermediate .the en'ds'there'of. and it may also 'be desirable toprovide'an additional and intermediate floor' support for the seat. foreshown inthe' drawings an auxiliary 'back member 56 which is desirably ofmetal tubing and which extends across the back framebetween the upperand lower members 21 and 25 thereof and is secured to the seat'frame. Toconnect the auxiliary member 56 with the upper member21, the'upperend'of the auxiliary member is flattened to provide a'tongue'57 whichenters a slot in the tubular top'member'21. 'Desirably, the tongue 57 isbent rearwardlyas indicated in Fig. 2 to prevent relative up 2,943,'e71I I 4 bers to the seat frame with the bolts 41. If, as in the articleshown, the auxiliary member 56 includes the forwardly extending stretch64 to which the intermediate support 66 is secured, the tongue 65 isnext inserted through the slot in the frontseat-frame member 11 and thebolt 62 applied connecting the intermediate support to the rearseat-frame member 13. The back frame is then lowered in front of themember 56 until the tongue V cated exaggeratedly at 70 in Fig.7, withthe walls of I 'have there'- ward movement of the top member 21 of theback frame.

Where the auxiliary-member 56 crosses the lower backframe member '25,the latter may be partially collapsed as indicated at 58 in Fig. 8, topermit the two members to be located more nearly in the same plane andalso to provide a groove which locates the auxiliary member 56longitudinally of the lower member 25. The member 56 is provided with anut 60 which receives a screw 61 extending through the lower member 25to hold the two members together.

The member 56 continues downwardly and forwardly beyond the member 25 toa position beneath the rear member 13 of the seat frame 10, to which itis secured as by a bolt 62. Where the seat frame isto be provided withan intermediate -support, the auxiliary member 56 may continueforwardly, as indicated at 64, below the seat frame 10 and be connectedto the front member 11 .thereof. To effect this connection, the frontend of the extension 64 is shown as flattened to provide a tongue 65received in a slot of the inner'wall of the front seat-frame member 11,such tongue being-desirably bent downwardly .as shown in Fig. 2. Theintermediate portion of the extension-64 is depressed, as indicated, toprevent interference .with downward deflection of the slats 47 and seatcushions under load, and an intermediate seatsupporting member 66 isassociated with it. Desirably, .the intermediateseat-supporting memberis formed of metal tubing with an intermediate portion lying directly.below and conforming to the extension 64 and with front and rear legs67 and 68, which may be provided with feet 33. Conveniently, theextension 64 and the intermediate seat-support 66 are secured togetherby brazing ,or welding.

. An article constructed as above described lends it- :self to shipmentin knocked-down conditionand to ready erection. In knocked-downcondition the seat frame 10 with its rear member 13 and slats 47, theback frame 20 'With its slats 51 and lower member 25, the side members,and the auxiliary member 56 are separate units. The,intermediateseat-support 66, when provided, forms part .of .a singleunit with the auxiliary member 56. Except the tube-ends 15 to facilitatetheir insertion, one at a time and with any necessary springing of theback frame, into such tube-ends while the back frame remains connectedto the auxiliary member 56 at 57. After insertion of the pilots 23 intothe tube-ends 15, theother and end members, the end members of theseatframe extending rearwardly past said rear member and being bent toproject generally upwardly, means providing telescoping joints betweensaid up-bent ends and'the end members of the back'frame, said bottommember having transversely projecting ends extending along the endmembers of the back frame and the up-bent ends of the end members of theseat frame, means connecting the projecting ends of said bottom memberto the end members of both the seat and back frame, a plurality ofcushionsupporting slats on said seat and back frames.

2. The invention of claim 1 with the addition of an auxiliary framemember extending across said back frame intermediate the ends thereofand into proximity to said rear member and secured to said top, bottom,and rear members.

3. The invention of claim 2 with the addition that said top member is ofmetal tubing having a slot in its wall, .said auxiliary member having anupper end which extends through said slot into the interior of thetubular top member and is formed to provide a laterally projectingtongue preventing upward movement of said top vmember relative to saidauxiliary member.

4. The invention of claim 2 with the addition that said auxiliary memberextends forwardly beneath said rear member and is connected to saidfront member,.said auxiliary member being provided below the seat framewith legs adapted to engage a floor or other supporting surface.

5. The invention of claim 2 with the addition that said auxiliary memberextends forwardly beneath said rear member to said front member, saidfront member having a slot in its wall, and ,saidauxiliary member havingat its front end a tongue projecting through such slot into the interiorof the front. member.

6. In a chair, settee, or the like, a generally rectangu- -lar seatframe having front, rear, and end members, a

back frame havingtop, bottom,.and end members, a plurality of slats onsaid seat and back frames for supporting The pilots 23, in the distancebetween a pair of adjacent offsets being greater than the width of oneof the arm pans with said hori- Y thereon to prevent lateral rockingmovement of the arms on the side members.

7. In a chair, settee, or the like, a generally rectangular seat framehaving tubular front, rear and end members and a first set of downwardlyoffset slats extending between said front and rear members, said frontand rear members having slots in their mutually opposed Walls, saidslats being formed of metal and extending through said slots with theends of each of said slats being bent to provide vertically projectingears located within the front and rear members and normally disposed inspaced relation from the inwardly presented walls of the tubing formingsaid front and rear members to permit limited fore-and-aft slidingmovement of the ends of said slats within the front and rear members ofthe seat frame without withdrawal of the slat ends therefrom, a backframe interconnected to the seat frame and having end members and topand bottom members interconnected by a second set of slats, meansinterconnecting said back and seat frame, and a plurality ofground-engageable legs supporting said seat and back frames.

8. In a chair, settee, or the like, a generally rectangular seat framehaving tubular front, rear and end members, a first set of slats havingtheir ends received in slots formed in the mutually opposed inner wallsof said front and rear members, said slats being formed of metal andhaving their ends bent to form vertically projecting ears located withinsaid front and rear members in normally spaced relation to the'inwardlypresented walls of said front and rear members to permit limited.fore-and-aft sliding movement of the ends of the slats withoutwithdrawal of the slat ends from the front and rear members of the seatframe, a back frame interconnected to said seat frame and having endmembers and top and bottom members interconnected by a second set ofslats, a chair-supporting member at each lateral end of the chair, eachof said chair-supporting members having an upper horizontal tubularstretch provided with at least two olfsets in a plane normal to theplane of their associated chair-supporting member, and an arm mounted oneach of said chair-supporting members and having an inverted metal panconnected to and supported on the upper faces of the horizontal stretchand ofisets on said chair-supporting member, the distance between a pairof adjacent offsets being greater than the Width of one of the arm panswith said horizontal stretches and the offsets thereon abutting theopposed depending lateral edges of said arm pans mounted thereon toprevent lateral rocking movement of the arms on the chair-supportingmembers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS113,530 King Apr. 11, 1871 726,042 Franz Apr. 21, 1903 1,420,670Schlette June 27, 1922, 2,016,953 Arnold Oct. 8, 1935 2,260,811 KozakOct. 28, 1941 2,419,412 McArthur Apr. 22, 1947 2,470,525 Schultheis May17, 1949 2,667,916 Burd Feb. 2, 1954 2,706,519 Kranz Apr. 19, 19552,709,484 Lamb May 31, 1955 2,710,053 Hamilton June 7, 1955 2,719,572Goldberg Oct. 4, 1955 2,764,225 Sharpe Sept. 25, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS406,902 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1934 683,378 Great Britain Nov. 26, 1952

